Lumber-stacking apparatus



.4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. GARAHAM. LUMBER STAGKING APPARATUS.

No. 604,145 Patented'May 17, 1898.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I W. GRAHAM. PLUMBER STAGKING APPARATUS. No. 604,145. Patented May 17,1898.

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W. GRAHAM. LUMBER STAGKING APPARATUS,

N0. 604,145. Patented May 17, I898.

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(No Model) '4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. GRAHAM. LUMBER STAGKING APPARATUS.

No. 604,145. Patented May 17,1898.

0 u 1 p p u u l- Nrrn STATES LUMBER-STACKING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 604,145, dated May 1'7, 1898. Application filed October 2,1895. Renewed October 21, 1897. Serial No. 655,969. (No model.)

To aZZ whom zit may. concern:

Beitknown that I, WILLIE GRAHAM, a resident of Meridian, in the county of Lauderdale and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lumber-Stacking Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in lumber-stacking apparatus, the object of the invention being to provide means whereby to properly and automatically load lumber on trucks and to so construct the apparatus that the lumber will be under complete control of the operator.

A further object isto produce a lumberstacking machine which will operate automatically to pile lumber on edge on a truck with intervening sticks to form air-spaces between the tiers of lumber and to so construct theapparatus that it shall comprise a small number of parts, be easy to operate and control, and effectual in all respects in the performance of its functions.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts,as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a face view with parts in cross-section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the machine. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are detail views.

A represents a framework on which a series of tracks a is laid for the accommodation of the wheels of trucks A, on which the lumher is to be stacked, said trucks being provided at their corners with removable posts or uprights a, and said posts are connected together, when the trucks are loaded, by means of chains or other suitable device, whereby to bind the load of lumber to prevent its accidental escape.

Upright frames B O project some distance above the framework A and are connected together near their upper ends by means of transverse timbers b, and on said transverse timbers beams or timbers h, running at right angles thereto, may be disposed. On these wheels (not shown) at the source of supply of lumber sprocket-chains 5 pass, said sprocketchains being provided with a number of lugs c to prevent the lumber being conveyed by said chains from slipping. Over some of the sprocket-wheels on the shaft 3 an endless carrier composed of chains 6 passes, said chains also passing over sprocket-wheels 2 on the shaft 1 and are provided with lugs d, similar in all respects to the lugs a above alluded to.

Over some of the sprocket-wheels 2 on the shaft lvertically-disposed conveyer-chains 7 are made to pass, said chains also passing over sprocket-wheels 8, disposed near the base of the apparatus. These chains are also provided with lugs 6, similar in all respects to the lugs c d above mentioned.

Mounted at the top of the frame 0, which is slightly higher than the timbers I) b, is a shaft 9, carrying sprocketwheels 10. A similar series of sprocket-wheels 11 is mounted in the frame 0, so as to be disposed just above the uprights of the truck A. Over the sprocket-wheels 10 ll endless carrienchains 12 pass, and said chains are also provided with lugs f, alike in form and construction to the lugs o d 6, above referred to. The shaft 9 on which the sprocket-wheels 10 are secured is provided with a gear-wheel 13, which receives motion from a gear-wheel 14 of exactly the same size secured to the shaft 1, and the chains 7 and 12 are therefore driven at exactly the same rate of speed.

From the construction and arrangement of parts above described it will be seen that the chains 7 and 12 are disposed exactly parallel with each other, so as to form a sort of throat 15 between them, into which the boardsffrom the conveyer-chains 6 enter. As the chains 7 and 12 are made to move at the same rate of speed, the lugs on the respective chains will cooperate with each other and jointly serve to lower the boards and guide them toward the truck. Below the chains 12 the boards ICO on the lugs of the chains 7 will be prevented from escaping therefrom by the uprights of the truck and by lumber and separatin g-sticks previously piled on the truck. The boards will be deposited onto the truck one board edgewise upon another. As one board is placed upon another by means of the lugs on the chains 7, it is necessary that some means he provided to permit the lugs to pass the boards which have been deposited, and it is also quite important that the chains be kept normally well up to their work. For these reasons I dispose behind the forward portion of each carrier-chain 7 (between the parallel parts of the chains) a yielding board or strip 17. Each strip 17 is pivotally connected to a timber 18 by means of a link 19 and is provided with a series of pins 20, which project rearwardly therefrom and loosely through fixed timbers 21. On the pins 20, between the timbers 21 and the bars or strips 17, springs 22 are disposed and adapted to cause the bars or strips to press against the conveyer-chains 7 and keep them normally up to their work. From this construction and arrangement of parts it will be seen that while the yielding presser bars or strips 17 will maintain the chain in a normally straight and practically vertical position, still the chain will be permitted to yield against the resistance of the springs 22 when a lug on the chain is passing the boards of a tier already piled on the truck.

When lumber is piled or stacked on trucks to be run into a drying-kiln, the tiers of lumber should be separated by means of spacingsticks, so as to form space between the tiers of boards for the circulation of air. In order to provide simple and efficient means for feeding these sticks as the tiers of lumber shall successivelyhave been completed, the devices now to be described will be employed.

I prefer to employ two (or more) stickframes D, each made of such width as to reoeive but a single row or series of sticks 23, and these stick-frames are fixed rigidly to the framework.

The bottom 24 of each stick-frame (and necessarily the top 25 also) is made inclined, so as to cause the sticks to feed forwardly automatically when a stick at the forward end of the frame is removed. At the lower or outer extremity of the bottom of each stickframe a notched wheel or cam 26 is disposed, and 011 this wheel or cam the foremost stick in the stick-frame normally rests, being preferably pressed thereon by means of a springactuated plunger 27, located at the top of the stick-frame, said plunger being preferably provided with a roller 28.

To the journal of the wheel or cam 26 a bell-crank lever 29 is secured. A rod 30 is attached at one end to one of the arms of the bell-crank lever and at the other end to an operating-lever 31. The other arm of the bell-crank lever is connected by means of a rod 32 with an arm projecting from a hood or bar 33, secured to the framework near the top of the stick-frame and adapted to engage the upper end of the stick which rests against the last tier of boards and maintains the said stick in proper position. When a tier of boards shall have been completed, the lever 31 will be operated to cause the sticks in the stickframes to move forward and be deposited against the tier of boards. It will be seen that ,when the operating-lever is moved the cam or wheel 26 will be oscillated and made to force the stick out of the stick-frame, and the hoods or bars 33 will be moved first outwardly and then inwardly (as the operatinglever is vibrated) and caused to engage the new sticks and hold them in position. In order, however, that the next tier of boards be caused to be properly placed in position on the truck, it will be necessary to move the latter so as to bring the space on the truck for the next tier in line with the lugs on the chains 7 and also in line with the throat 15. For this purpose the devices now to be explained will be employed.

On the frame A, to one side of the timbers which support the tracks a, timbers 34 35 are located and spaced a short distance apart for the accommodation between them of a sliding beam 36. Each sliding beam 36 is made in its side faceswith grooves 37 for the reception of ribs 38, (preferably made of metal,)

secured to the timbers 34 35, said ribs serving as guides for the sliding beams 36. To each sliding beam 36 a standard or upright 39 is hinged by means of a suitable hinge 40, and to each standard or upright a binder 41 is pivotally connected and adapted to engage the trucks A, whereby to connect said standards and trucks together. The standards or uprights are maintained normally in an upright or vertical position and in contact with the first tier of lumber of the truck by means of braces 42. Each brace is made in two parts,havinga rule-j oint hinge between them. At the upper end the brace is pivotally connected with the standard or upright by means of a link 43, and at its lower end the brace is pivotally connected with the sliding beam 36. Under the pivotal connection of the braces with the sliding beams the latter are provided with rollers 44, adapted to run on suitable track-rails 45,supported by the framework A and adapted to support the weight on said sliding beam. The sliding beams are each provided with a rack-bar 46, and these rack-bars are adapted to be engaged by pinions 47, carried by a horizontal shaft 48, mounted on the frame A. A ratchet device 49 is connected with the shaft 48 and adapted to be operated step by step by dogs 50, carried by the operating-lever 31. From this construction and arrangement of parts it will be seen that when the operating-lever 31 is operated after the completion of a tier of boards on the truck spacing-sticks will be placed in position, as above explained, and

IIO

the truck will be moved slightly forward to bring it into proper position to receive the next tier of boards.

When the truck shall have been loaded, the removable posts a will be placed in position in suitable sockets in the truck provided for them and suitable binding ropes or chains attached to them to hold the lumber in position. The trucks will then be detached from the standards or uprights 39, after which the braces 42 will be folded and the standards hinged or turned down. The'loaded trucks can then be moved forward and will be carried away on suitable tracks to the dryingkiln.

In the drawings I have shown three trucks without any connection between them other than the lumber; but it is evident that a greater or less number may be provided and that they may be connected together by suit able framework to form in effect a single truck, if desired.

My improvements are simple in construction, comparatively cheap to manufacture, and are effectual in all respects in the performance of their functions.

Various slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of construction herein described; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with means for receiving the lu mber to be stacked, of two series of parallel conveyer-chains constructed and adapted to form a throat for the reception of lumber between them, and lugs on said chains to receive and lower said lumber, substantially as set forth.

2. In a lumber-stacking apparatus,the com bination with means for receiving lumber to be stacked, of two parallel conveyer-chains having lugs for the reception of the lumber, said chain being so disposed as to form a throat into which the lumber is made to pass, and gearing constructed and adapted to cause both chains to move at the same rate of speed, whereby to cause lugs of one chain to cooperate with the lugs of the other chain for lowering the lumber through said throat, substantially as set forth.

3. In a lumber-stackin g apparatus, the combination with means for receiving the lumber to be stacked, of two series of parallel chains constructed and adapted to form a throat between them for the reception of lumber, lugs projecting from both series of chains, a main elevating-carrier terminating above said series of chains, and an inclined carrier adapted to receive lumber from the elevating carrier and deposit it in the throat formed by the two first-mentioned series of chains, substantially as set forth.

4. In alumberstackin g apparatus,the combination with means for receiving the lumber to be stacked, of two series of chains disposed parallel with each other and having lugs thereon, one series of chains terminating above the other, and means for depositing lumber in the throat formed by the two series of chains, substantially as set forth.

5. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with means for receiving lumber to be stacked, of a series of chains having lugs for the reception of lumber to be stacked, and a yielding device behind each chain, whereby to hold the chains normally in proper working position and permit them to yield and allow the lugs to pass lumber already stacked,

substantially as set forth.

. 6. Inalumber-stackingapparatus,the combination with means for receiving lumber to be stacked, of a series of chains having lugs for the reception of the lumber to be stacked, a bar adapted to bear against each chain, and yielding devices in rear of said bar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

' 7. In a lumber-stackin g apparatus, the combination with a framework adapted to receive trucks, of a series of lowering-chains disposed over the position occupied by the trucks and yielding presser-bars adapted to receive said chains, substantially as set forth.'

8. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with means for receiving the lumber to be stacked, of a series of chains carrying lugs for the reception of the lumber to be stacked and adapted to place the lumber in position, apivoted bar behind each chain, and a series of springs behind each pivoted bar, substantially as set forth.

9. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with suitable framework and a truck,

of a series of chains having lugs thereon adapted to receive lumber and stack it on the truck, and a short series of chains having lugs, said short series of chains being disposed parallel with the first-mentioned chains so as to form a throat or passage for the lumber, the short series of chains terminating at their lower ends a distance above the truck about equal to the desired height of the stack of lumber thereon, substantially as set forth.

10. In a lumber-stacking machine, the combination with suitable framework and a truck, of two series of parallel conveyer chains adapted to form a throat between them for the reception of lumber to be stacked, and

means for moving the truck step by step as the tiers of lumber on the truck shall have been successively completed, substantially as set forth.

11. In a lumber-stacking machine, the combination with a truck and means for piling lumber thereon in tiers, of a movable bar, a standard carried by said bar and adapted to be connected with the truck, and means for moving said movable bar to move the truck, substantially as set forth.

12. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with a framework, a truck adapted to run thereon and means for piling lumber on said truck, in tiers, of a sliding bar, a standard carried by the sliding bar and adapted to be connected with the truck, a rack-bar on the sliding bar, a pinion meshing with the rack-bar, and aratchet device for moving said pinion-step substantially as set forth.

13. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with a framework, a truck adapted to run thereon, and means for stacking lumber on the truck, of a sliding bar, and a collapsible standard carried by said sliding bar and adapted to be connected with the truck, said standard being adapted to bear against the lumber on the truck, substantially as set forth.

14. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with a framework, a truck adapted to run thereon and means for stacking lumber on the truck, of a sliding bar, a standard hinged to the sliding bar and adapted to bear against the lumber on the truck, a connection between said standard and the truck, and a collapsible brace connecting the upper end of the standard with the sliding bar, substantially as set forth.

15. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with a framework and a series of trucks adapted to run thereon, of a sliding bar in proximity to each truck, a standard hinged to each sliding bar and adapted to bear against the lumber on the trucks, a connection between the standards and the trucks, a collapsible bracket connecting the upper ends of the standards with the sliding bars, a rack-bar on each sliding bar, a shaft, pinions carried by the shaft and meshing with the rack-bars, and a ratchet device connected with said shaft whereby to move the pinions step by step, substantially as set forth.

16. In a lumber-stackin g machine, the combination with a truck and means for piling lumber thereon, of a fixed stick-holder, substantially as set forth.

17. In a lumber-stacking machine, the combination with a truck and means for piling lumber thereon, of a stick-holder having its bottom inclining toward the lumber on the truck, substantially as set forth.

18. In a lumber-stacking machine, the combination with means for receiving lumber and means for stacking said lumber, of a sticking lumber thereon, of a stick-holder having an inclined bottom, and a spring-actuated device at the top of the holder adapted to bear on the forward stick, substantially as set forth.

20. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with a truck and means for piling lumber thereon, of a stick-holder having an inclined bottom, a cam or notched wheel at the bottom of the stick-holder to receive the forward stick, a spring-actuated device at the top of the holder to bear against said forward stick, and means for operating the cam or notched wheel whereby to eject the stick, substantially as set forth.

21. In a lumber-stacking apparatus, the combination with a truck and means forpil ing lumber thereon, of means for placing sticks between the tiers of lumber, and hoods or bars for holding said sticks in place while a tier of lumber is being piled against them, and means for operating said hoods or bars, substantially as set forth.

22. In a lumber-stacking machine, the combination with a truck and means for piling lumber thereon, of a stick-holder having an inclined bottom, a cam or notched Wheel at the lower end of the holder and adapted to receive the forward stick in the holder, a hood or bar for holding the stick in place against the lumber after it shall have been released from the stick-holder, a bell-crank lever connected with the journal of said cam or wheel, a connection between said bell-crank lever and the said hood or bar, an operating-lever, and a connection between the operating-lever and the bell-crank lever, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVILLIE GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

H. F. BROACH, J r., W. E. BROACH. 

